The Call of the 12

1. The Call of the 12 Mr. Perrotti Freshmen Religion Chapter 6 –Lesson 4

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8iC1HYIT9A.com BE FISHERS OF MEN “COME FOLLOW ME!”

3. Call of the 12 in Scripture • And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the lessor, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

4. Their Call • Jesus Christ selected 12 men from among his early followers to become his closest disciples. • After an intensive discipleship course and following his resurrection from the dead, the Lord fully commissioned the apostles to advance God's kingdom and carry the gospel message to the world. • These men became the pioneering leaders of the New Testament church, but they were not without faults and shortcomings.

5. Who were the Twelve Apostles • The word “disciple” refers to a learner or follower • The word “apostle” means “one who is sent out.” • The Twelve Apostles followed Jesus Christ, learned from Him, and were trained by Him. • After His resurrection and ascension, Jesus sent the disciples out to be His witnesses • They were considered the first Bishops of the Church.

6. They were ordinary Men! • Remarkably, not one of the chosen 12 disciples was a scholar or rabbi. • They had no extraordinary skills. • Neither religious, nor refined, they were ordinary people, just like you and me. But God chose them for a purpose. -He selected and used each of these regular guys to carry out his special plan. They were men who helped ignite the light of truth that still dwells within our hearts today and calls us to come and follow Jesus Christ.

7. PETER • Without question, the Apostle Peter was an Apostle most of us can identify with. • One minute he was walking on water by faith, and the next he was sinking in doubts. • Peter is best known for denying Jesus when the pressure was on.”when the cock crows three times….” • Even so, as a disciple he was dearly loved by Christ, holding a special place among the twelve.

8. PETER • Name was Simon changed to Peter by Christ • Peter, often a spokesman for the twelve, stands out in the Gospels. • His name is always listed first when written about. • He was a fisherman –Jesus said “I will make you a Fisher of Men” • Peter became a bold evangelist and missionary, and one of the greatest leaders of the early church. • He was considered the first Pope. Peter was sentenced to death by crucifixion, he requested that his head be turned toward the ground because he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Savior.

9. Andrew • Andrew abandoned John the Baptist to become the first follower of Jesus of Nazareth • Andrew lived in the shadow of his more famous sibling, Simon Peter. • Andrew led Peter to Christ, then stepped into the background as his boisterous brother became a leader among the apostles and in the early church. • Andrew was a simple fisherman who dropped his nets on the shore and went on to become a remarkable fisher of men

10. James the Greater • James the son of Zebedee, often called James the Greater to distinguish him from the other apostle named James. • James was a member of Jesus Christ's inner circle, which included his brother, the Apostle John, and Peter. • James and John earned a special nickname from the Lord—"sons of thunder“ • They never left Jesus’ side and were with him at all the key events in his life.

11. John • Brother of James the Greater –one of the sons of thunder! • He liked to call himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved." • With his fiery temperament and special devotion to the Savior, he gained a favored place in Christ's inner circle. • John's enormous impact on the early Christian church and his larger-than-life personality, make him an outstanding leader in the early Church. • A great writer, he is believed to be the only Apostle who died a normal death.

12. Philip • Another early follower of Christ after serving John the Baptist. • He wasted no time calling others, like Bartholomew, to do the same • Bible historians believe Philip preached the gospel in Phrygia, in Asia Minor, and died a martyr there . (Greece)

13. Bartholomew • The disciple, experienced a jarring first encounter with Jesus. • When the Apostle Philip called him to come and meet the Messiah, Nathanael was skeptical, but he followed along anyway. • In some Bible accounts he is refereed to as Nathaniel. • Like Phillip, one of the first to follow Christ after serving John the Baptist. • "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.“ – Jesus predicted his calling • He Became one of his most loyal followers!

14. Matthew • Levi, who became the Apostle Matthew, was a customs official in Capernaum who taxed imports and exports based on his own judgment. • The Jews hated him because he worked for Rome and betrayed his countrymen. • He was greedy and a theft. • Jesus was criticized for calling him

15. Matthew • But when Matthew the dishonest tax collector heard two words from Jesus, "Follow me," he left everything and obeyed. • Like us, he longed to be accepted and loved. Matthew recognized Jesus as someone worth sacrificing for. • 2,000 years later, Matthew's eyewitness Gospel still sounds an irresistible call.

16. Thomas • The Apostle Thomas is often referred to as "Doubting Thomas" because he refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw and touched Christ's physical wounds. • He has been given a bum rap in history because of that, as it seemed he had little faith!

17. Thomas • Thomas, like us, was prone to extremes. • He had demonstrated courageous faith, willing to risk his own life to follow Jesus into Judea. • If we're truly seeking to know the truth, and we're honest with ourselves and others about our struggles and doubts, • God will faithfully meet us and reveal himself to us, just as he did for Thomas. • Thomas is an example for all of us to follow!

18. James the Less • James the Less is one of the most obscure apostles in the Bible. • The only things we know for certain are his name and, • that he was present in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ ascended to heaven.

19. Simon the Zealot • One of those puzzling questions is the exact identity of Simon the Zealot, the Bible's own mystery apostle. • A member of a group of Jewish rebels who attempted the military overthrow of Roman rule in Palestine. • In the Gospels, he is mentioned in three places, but only to list his name. • In Acts 1:13 we learn that he was present with the apostles in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ had ascended to heaven.

20. Jude • Also known as Thaddeus • Listed together with Simon the Zealot and James the Less, the Apostle Jude completes a grouping of the least known disciples. • He with the others were believed to be followers of John the Baptist who left John to follow Jesus. • Jude, is characterized as a tender-hearted, gentle man who displayed childlike humility. • Scholars believe That this Apostle wrote the book of Jude. It's a short epistle. He is created with writing one of the finest praises of Jesus the Son of God in the entire New Testament.

21. Judas Iscariot • Judas Iscariot is the apostle who betrayed his Master with a kiss. • For this supreme act of treachery, some would say Judas Iscariot made the greatest error in history. • Over time Judas has been seen: • As the most hated • As the Apostle we Pity the most • Some even consider him a hero, an iatrical part of God’s plan • He was a scholar and handled the affairs of the 12.

22. Apostles' Creed • Ancient theory or legend adopted the belief that the 12 apostles were the authors of the Apostles' Creed. • It has gone through many versions over time with the most current revision adopted around 700 AD. • Written by the Apostles to refute the Gnostics, those who refuted the Word of God and did not believe. • It was a statement of Faith by the Church. • The word Catholic in the Creed refers to the Universal Church of God, not just the Roman Catholic Church. • It is used by many Christian Churches as part of their worship.

23. Nicene Creed • A more acceptable version of the Apostle’s Creed. • The original Nicene Creed was adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD • The council was called together by the Roman Emperor Constantine I and came to be known as the first ecumenical conference of bishops for the Christian Church.

24. The Nicene Creed • The Nicene Creed was established to identify conformity of beliefs among Christians as a public profession of faith. • Roman Catholics refer to the Nicene Creed as the "symbol of faith." • In the Catholic Mass, it is also called the "Profession of Faith."

25. The Acts of the Apostles • Written by Luke to describe the action of the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. • It details the growth and struggles of the early Church and describes the journeys of Paul (Called the Apostle to the Gentiles) • The Apostles were the first Bishops • There first action was to replace Judas with Matthias.

27. COME AND FOLLOW ME!HIS CALL FOR ALL OF USHow will you Answer? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn7CdnxP0ic.com

28. Come and Follow Me!